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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25397035">Indelible</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunflowerAro/pseuds/SunflowerAro'>SunflowerAro</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Familiar [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:09:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,751</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25397035</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunflowerAro/pseuds/SunflowerAro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Plans are made to get Sonic's memories back</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Familiar [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1653865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The glow of their home filled Sonic’s vision, replacing the silver sheen lighting the path from the moon above them as it spilled out onto the sand from uncovered windows. He and Tails trekked along the path, groceries in tow, as the world darkened around them—shopping had taken significantly longer than anticipated, and time seemed to move differently in the world. Tails had explained that a couple of hours there could be half a day on their island, hence why they always left early. </p>
<p>“We’ll need to talk about this with Amy,” Tails said as they brushed through the final reaching branches of the forest and onto the sandy path towards home.</p>
<p>In each hand, they held bags packed tightly with groceries, yet lacking a fragment. Regardless of their efforts, they hadn’t been able to find even a hint of a shard in the store—not that Sonic found he could be upset. Relief had flowed through him at the thought of the shards being tied only to the island; strangers couldn’t snatch up his lost pieces.</p>
<p>Sonic nodded. “She’ll want to help. How are we going to find them, though?” He asked, tilting his head towards Tails when the crashing of the waves threatened to drown out his friend’s voice.</p>
<p>Tails smiled, hoisting his bag over his shoulder so it sat more comfortably. “We’ll go back to the ring world, of course. It’s the best place to find information, and the officers there see everything and everyone. If this person has gone there, we’ll be able to find out more.” </p>
<p>Hope sparked in Sonic’s heart and he nodded, turning away as his thoughts drifted. Soon, he would finally have his memories restored. </p>
<p>They kicked the sand from their shoes as they ascended the steps, the gentle clattering of pots and clinking of cutlery a euphony to their ears after the chaotic chatter of the new world. The warmth inside was fleeting, the air holding only the faintest of heat upon it, leaving them shivering upon entering.</p>
<p>Amy stood at the counter, her arms deep in the woven basket she had taken to the orchard. Her eyes brightened when she saw them and she pulled out a couple of apples, placing them in the fruit basket and turning back to lower the heat on the stove.</p>
<p>“Hey, guys!” She greeted them, a blinding smile spreading across her lips as she continued to pull out the fruits of her earlier efforts. “I just got home a few minutes ago. The orchard needed to be weeded.” She shrugged, looking away from their curious gazes. </p>
<p>Sonic had a feeling she hadn’t spent extra time there solely to weed the garden. If she didn’t want to speak of it he wouldn’t force her to, however.</p>
<p>“We got loads of stuff,” he said instead, dropping down his two bags almost bursting with groceries, Tails copying him. </p>
<p>Amy’s eyes widened in delight at the mention of food and she peered into the bags thoughtfully. “That’s great! I put some of the stew from last night on already, but we can prepare something nice tomorrow.” </p>
<p>Tails set about helping her put everything away while Sonic took a seat at the kitchen bench, drumming his fingers on the counter. </p>
<p>Amy looked so happy, now, humming to herself as she twirled around the kitchen. She seemed so bubbly compared to that morning, and he hated to ruin her mood, but they <em>needed</em> to discuss this or he may never have his memories returned. </p>
<p>“Tails and I were talking,” he began, eyes pleading Tails to help him out. Tails only shot him a shrug and reassuring smile. Traitor.</p>
<p>Amy’s hands stilled from where she was twisting a pair between her fingers, before she quickly placed the fruit away. “Yeah?”</p>
<p>“We wanted to try and track down the person who took my memories, we think if we can find them, we can convince them to return them.”</p>
<p>Amy nodded slowly, her eyes lingering on the pair as she thought. “You think we can <em>convince</em> them?”</p>
<p>Sonic smiled. “We can find a way. I’m sure of it. We want to go to the Ring World tomorrow and ask around, see if anyone has heard of someone who fits the description.” </p>
<p>“Mm. It’s a good plan. We’ll need to make sure we’re prepared for anything, though. They sound strong.” </p>
<p>Sonic couldn’t argue with that: if they had the ability to take down two super powered creatures... he shivered at the thought of what else they could do. </p>
<p>“We’ll be careful, don’t worry. We can ask around tomorrow to see if anyone knows the extent of their abilities and any potential weaknesses,” Tails chipped in, shutting the fridge and leaning against it. </p>
<p>“Like their kryptonite?” Sonic asked, a smile making its way onto his face at the thought. </p>
<p>He received two odd looks, and he almost snorted when they simultaneously tilted their heads in opposite directions. Sonic waved them off before they could ask; it must be an Earth thing, then.</p>
<p>“Never mind. We’ll definitely look into their weaknesses, though.” </p>
<p>Tails nodded. “In the morning, we can all go.”</p>
<p>Sonic winced when Tails only gestured to the three of them, shooting a surreptitious glance to Knuckles’ still shut door. He wondered if Knuckles had eaten yet, if he had even left the room today.</p>
<p>Half an hour later had Amy and Tails on a walk, a meaningful look shared between the two of them before they left, sending a wave back to him, leaving silence in their wake. </p>
<p>Sonic hummed to himself, shooting another look at Knuckles’ door before he made up his mind. He scooped out another bowl of the still steaming soup before reaching into the now-full fridge, grabbing a water-bottle from inside and tucking it under his arm as well. He knocked on the echidna’s door, stepping back as he waited patiently. </p>
<p>The silence that followed left his ears ringing. </p>
<p>Biting his lip, Sonic steeled himself and cracked open the door anyway, smiling faintly when he noticed it wasn’t locked.</p>
<p>“Knuckles?” His voice echoed in the quiet room, filled up the dark, empty space. </p>
<p>Knuckles sat on by the window, leaning into the curtains as he peered out from a slight crack. Pale moonlight left him in a silver sheen, highlighting the fatigue in his eyes and the bruises that lay underneath them. He turned when Sonic opened the door, eyes wide with fear until they settled upon his form.</p>
<p>“Oh, Sonic,” he breathed, his voice raw and raspy. His shoulders slumped in relief and he turned away from the window, leaving the curtain hanging open and allowing more slivers of light to spill into the room.</p>
<p>Sonic smiled warmly, lifting the bowl slightly to draw Knuckles’ attention to it before nodding to the floor. He took the bottle in his other hand, tossing it to his friend before carefully lowering himself to the ground. Knuckles caught the bottle with ease, his eyes never leaving Sonic as he stepped forward to join him, settling down in front of him. </p>
<p>“Here.” Sonic passed him the bowl of stew, raising an eyebrow when Knuckles only stared into its depths. “Eat up.”</p>
<p>Knuckles relented, dipping the spoon in and chewing on some of the soft meat. He nodded to himself at the taste, eyes slipping shut as he took another spoonful. </p>
<p>Sonic sat back on his hands, eyes roaming what little he could make out of Knuckles’ room that wasn’t shrouded in shadows. Succulents lay upon the window sill, few in comparison to the dozens around Sonic’s room, and bathed in a silver sheen. The moon illuminated a kettlebell by Knuckles’ bed, caressing its silver curves that peeked out from its position kicked half-way underneath, out of the way. Blankets sat strewn about the bed, as though Knuckles had tossed and turned before giving up and moving elsewhere. </p>
<p>Sonic turned his head, but the other half of the room remained swallowed by the darkness, not even a glint of a reflection giving away what lay to his left. He hummed to himself to fill the silence of the room save the tapping of Knuckles’ spoon against the rim of the bowl, a long-lost tune he couldn’t recall that had stuck with him through thick and thin. </p>
<p>Once Knuckles had set aside the bowl and drunk half of the bottle, Sonic nodded to himself. He needed to update Knuckles on their plans.</p>
<p>“We wanted to go find information on that mysterious person tomorrow,” he said casually, wincing when Knuckles flinched at the reminder of the character. </p>
<p>Knuckles nodded slowly and Sonic took that as his cue to continue. </p>
<p>“We’re going to the ring world to see if anyone has heard anything and we’ll build a plan around that.”</p>
<p>“I think I’ll stay home,” Knuckles said softly, picking at the threads of the carpet they sat upon. “It’ll just be awkward with me there…”</p>
<p>Sonic’s heart ached, a frown making its way onto his face before he rushed it away for a more supportive look. “You’re sure?” </p>
<p>Knuckles nodded, looking down as he thought. Sonic jumped when Knuckles gasped, his mouth twisting in thought.</p>
<p>“What if they’re there?” Knuckles asked, raising shining eyes to meet Sonic’s own.</p>
<p>Panic fluttered through his chest at the thought, but Sonic kept a nonchalant smile on his face. “Then we’ll alert the officers. They’ll help, right?” </p>
<p>Knuckles nodded, a relieved smile making its way onto his face, small as it may be. “They would deal with it in a second. You’ve met Fern, right?”</p>
<p>Sonic nodded.</p>
<p>“She’d take them down in the blink of an eye. What I’d give to see that.” Knuckles chuckled, and Sonic found himself laughing along, grateful for the soothing sound coming from his friend’s lips. He hadn’t lost Knuckles. </p>
<p>Sonic cleared his throat as the laughter died down, hating to ruin the moment but knowing he had to if they were going to find this person. “Do you remember anything about their appearance? My memory helped a little, but it was a bit blurry.” </p>
<p>Knuckles grimaced, but he nodded. “I couldn’t forget <em>that</em> face. Hold on.” </p>
<p>He placed the empty bowl to the side, leaning back into the shadows and reaching out. After some shuffling and a clatter, he brought out a notepad and a pencil.  “I can write down what I remember, but their hood covered the rest of their body.” </p>
<p>Sonic nodded, grateful for the small blessing regardless. </p>
<p>“Let’s see, they had sandy fur and a white muzzle,” Knuckles murmured, jotting the words down as he spoke. “Freckles, I believe?”</p>
<p>Sonic nodded. “Definitely. And <em>something</em> on their head. It made the cloak all weird.”</p>
<p>Knuckles hummed, the scratching of the pencil filling the room. “They had…blue eyes,” Knuckles shivered, his grip on the pencil tightening enough for a faint <em>crack</em> to be heard.</p>
<p>Sonic frowned. “A pink nose, right?” </p>
<p>Knuckles jumped, coming back to himself. He smiled gratefully, adding the information to his notes. “Yeah. They wore that black cloak, and didn’t have shoes. Most people, regardless of species, seem to wear shoes, so it might be worth noting.”</p>
<p>Sonic made a face at the thought. Just because they were animals, didn’t mean they had to act like animals. </p>
<p>It was savage, he thought.</p>
<p>He took a long look at Knuckles as his friend tapped the pencil against the notepad in thought, taking in the greasy, matted fur and exhaustion that seemed to hang from his bones, wearing down his frame and leaving him slightly slumped.</p>
<p>“You should have a shower,” he spoke up, bringing Knuckles’ attention back to him. </p>
<p>Knuckles blanched, reeling back. “I—excuse me?” </p>
<p>Sonic snorted. “You look like you need one. And…it’ll make you feel better.” </p>
<p>Knuckles’ expression sobered and he nodded. “I guess. If you think it’ll help.” </p>
<p>He stood, but Sonic caught his hand before he could leave the room. </p>
<p>“They don’t hate you, Knuckles. Give it a little bit more time and everything will be set right. I promise.” </p>
<p>Knuckles smiled wearily at him, but hope sparked in his dull eyes. He squeezed Sonic’s hand before letting go. “Alright. If you’re sure, I trust you.” </p>
<p>Sonic smiled. “That’s all I can ask. Now, go shower. You stink.” </p>
<p>Knuckles gasped, affronted, earning a snicker from Sonic. “Coming from <em>you</em>,” Knuckles shot back, mirth swirling in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Yes, and that’s saying something. Now go.” Sonic made a shooing motion with his hands.</p>
<p>Knuckles crossed his arms petulantly, shaking his head in disbelief as he left the room, even if his lips quirked up at the quick banter. </p>
<p>Sonic smiled at the achievement, picking up the bowl and placing the bottle of water by Knuckles’ bedside table. He drifted out into the kitchen, smiling when he heard the steady stream of water from the bathroom by the stairs. A shower wouldn’t fix everything, but Sonic had no doubt it would leave Knuckles feeling a little better. It was all he could ask for right now.</p>
<p>He could do a little more, though. </p>
<p>Filling up the kettle, he flicked it on before grabbing another bottle of water, placing it beside the second in Knuckles’ room while he waited for the kettle to boil. He took out a mug, placing two teabags inside, a part of him insisting that the echidna would prefer it that way, that he always did.</p>
<p>Steam swirled around his face as he filled the mug, dropping in a spoonful of honey—Knuckles’ throat no doubt needed it—and a dash of milk—just how he liked it, muscle memory told him. </p>
<p>Sonic left the steaming mug alongside the bottles of water, nodding to himself with a smile before he slipped back into his own room. </p>
<p>Tomorrow would bring about a whole new world of information—and he hoped that the person wouldn’t be around to see them for it. Tonight, he could rest easy knowing he had done all he could for Knuckles, and that his friends were slowly on their way to rekindling the embers of their friendship.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sonic took Amy’s hand as the wind brushed through their fur, the bronze portal opening up before them. Knuckles hadn’t emerged from his room that morning, but Amy had left him breakfast in the microwave once more and Sonic had slipped a note under his door to ensure he found it. </p>
<p>He followed at the end of the line, keeping his grip tight on Amy’s hand so the portal wouldn’t close before they were all through. Wind whipped at his jacket as they entered the new world, the portal closing swiftly behind them. The soft, metallic clinking of rings filled Sonic’s ears alongside the murmuring of hundreds of creatures. Portals opened up in the sky, depositing thousands more rings onto the world in towering piles.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Tails said, drawing their attention to where he stood in front of them. “I think going to the station would be our best bet: we can talk to more officers there and hopefully find out some information. You brought the list, right?”</p>
<p>Sonic nodded, pulling out the folded piece of paper Knuckles had written with him the night before. “Yep.”</p>
<p>“Sweet. The station should be just over here.” Tails gestured to their left through a maze of mountains.</p>
<p>Amy shot Sonic a look, not usually one to join them in this world. She preferred to stay on their island and tend to the orchard. “Lead the way!” She said with a grin. </p>
<p>“We should keep a low-profile,” Sonic recommended as they slipped between two groups scouring through a pile. </p>
<p>Amy turned to him curiously. “Why?”</p>
<p>“If movie on Earth have taught me anything, it’s that people as powerful as that have henchmen.” </p>
<p>Amy snorted, rolling her eyes disbelievingly. “Sonic. They acted alone, correct?”</p>
<p>Sonic pursed his lips, stepping over a discarded pile of bronze rings. “Well, yes. But they could have gathered a following by now!”</p>
<p>“Mm. I doubt it, somehow. People who work alone tend to prefer it that way, and it didn’t seem like they would need any help.” </p>
<p>Sonic nodded slowly, shooting a wary glance at a band of mangy rats digging through bronze rings in search of silver ones, as though the mysterious figure would step out between the group. </p>
<p>Amy followed his gaze, taking his hand gently. “Look, if you’re worried, we’ll keep an eye out and only mention it to officers. Would that help?” </p>
<p>Sonic sighed in relief. “Definitely. Thanks, Amy.” </p>
<p>She grinned, squeezing his hand reassuringly before letting go. “Of course! Come on, we’re losing Tails.” </p>
<p>They rushed to catch up with Tails before he disappeared around another corner. Sonic crashed into Tails’ back as he rounded the corner, cushioned by his two tails as they swirled in thought and forcing his friend to stumble forward.</p>
<p>He brushed the fur away from his face, swallowing back a sneeze. “Sorry, Tails.”</p>
<p>Tails waved him off. “It’s fine. It’s happened before,” he added with a chuckle. He turned, gesturing widely. “This is the station.”</p>
<p>Sonic’s eyes widened in awe at the immense building that stood before them. Clean, white-washed walls wrapped around the building, free of any graffiti he would see tainting those on Earth. Their gleam left streaks across his vision, as though the wood had been freshly polished, and they rose three storeys high, forcing him to crane his neck back to take it all in. Windows covered every surface not a blinding white, glimmering in the sunlight and leaving him squinting. Beds of flowers spilled out from the front, framing the steps and small veranda out front of the building. Hydrangeas and hibiscus flowers sparkled, freshly watered and dancing in the light breeze, their colours vibrant reds and blues. Officers chatted atop the veranda, sitting at tables as they relaxed on their breaks or powered through paperwork.</p>
<p>“It’s…nice,” Sonic hummed. It seemed so much more welcoming than the ones he had seen in movies and on Earth. </p>
<p>“They try to make it as approachable as possible. Ensures people feel more comfortable when they ask for help.” </p>
<p>Sonic nodded. Already, any nerves he had felt at visiting the station were beginning to dissipate, making way for determination. They could speak with officers without any worry of the figure lurking—Sonic had no doubt they would be uncomfortable entering such a pleasant area, especially if they had a record for tyranny. </p>
<p>He wondered if anyone else had lost memories because of them. </p>
<p>They ascended the steps, returning waves from the officers as they passed by. Tails had to refuse an offer of tea from an elderly bear, his fur streaked with grey but his eyes as soothing as honey. He apologised profusely, promising to return another time and chat.</p>
<p>They stepped inside, warmth pouring over them from heaters above and soothing any lingering trembles that ailed them. A soft, golden glow drifting down from the lights left the area sparkling and radiant, removing any lingering worries Sonic had. Desks were spread out along the walls, dividers separating each to ensure conversations remained private. The area was <em>packed</em>, people of all kinds bustling about as they performed their duties, or spoke with officers. </p>
<p>“We should be able to find someone soon,” Tails said. “We’ll just need to wait over here.” He led them over to a waiting area, padded seats provided for them.</p>
<p>Sonic had only just sat down on the yellow chair when an officer approached them. A middle-aged mouse, her fur streaked with golden highlights sparkling between the brown. Her eyes softened, gentle crinkles appearing at their edges as she smiled at them. </p>
<p>“Hey, kids. Do you guys need help?” Sonic’s muscles relaxed as her soothing voice rolled over them, soft and warm in a way a mother would speak to her child. He found himself nodding along with the others, Tails stepping forward to take control once more.</p>
<p>“Dahlia!” he greeted her, an easy smile spreading across his lips. “We’re trying to find someone; would you be able to help?”</p>
<p>Dahlia bobbed her head in assent, her floppy ears bouncing at the movement. She reached down to ruffle Tails’ hair with a cheeky grin. Tails groaned, swatting her hands away with a pout, earning a laugh from her. </p>
<p>“Of course. It <em>is</em> part of my job, after all. If you’d follow me to my desk, I’m sure we can find this person for you.” </p>
<p>She led the way, easily ducking between other patrons and officers and sliding into her seat. Her window offered a wide view of the Ring World, along with a faint green from the forest far beyond, pine trees rising high into the sky. </p>
<p>“Alright. Have you got a name?” She asked, turning away from her computer to peer up at them. </p>
<p>Tails pursed his lips, shaking his head. “We don’t have a <em>name</em>, but we know what they look like—well, sort of.” He gestured for Sonic to pass over the paper.</p>
<p>Sonic jumped into action, pulling it from his pocket and placing it into Dahlia’s waiting paw. </p>
<p>She hummed in thought as her eyes skimmed the words. Her face paled slightly the longer she read, eyes widening. “I—how do you know of this individual?” </p>
<p>They shared a look, before Sonic nodded. </p>
<p>“They took something from us,” Amy said, eyes flitting about warily, as though the figure would be lurking nearby. </p>
<p>Dahlia pursed her lips, nose twitching. “They’ve taken a lot from plenty of people. Why are you searching for them?”</p>
<p>“We <em>need</em> to get this back. It’s important.” </p>
<p>Dahlia tutted, looking away in thought before she nodded to herself, plucking a pen from the cup on her desk. “Alright, well. This is where I last heard they were, but <em>be careful</em>, Silas is quite the character, or so I’ve heard.” She shook her head disdainfully, offering back the paper to Sonic, her writing filling up the bottom corner in neat loops. </p>
<p>Sonic shivered at the name. <em>Silas</em>. He finally had a name to put to the haunting face.</p>
<p>He committed it to memory, shooting her an appreciative grin before they were rushed out, another patron taking their place quickly. </p>
<p>“Silas,” Amy murmured, crossing her arms to hug herself as the cool breeze assaulted their skin, the warmth from inside rushed away the moment the doors clicked shut behind them.</p>
<p>Sonic found himself shivering for an entirely different reason. </p>
<p>Tails plucked the note from between his fingers, reading what Dahlia had written down for them. </p>
<p>“The Oasis?” he murmured to himself, looking up to the sky as he thought. “I haven’t been there since…” he shook his head. “Years, it feels. They were only there a couple days ago, so if we head out tomorrow, we should be able to find more information on them, or even catch them.”</p>
<p>Sonic nodded, excitement mingling with dread and leaving his stomach twisting and fluttering. </p>
<p>Hands clamped down on Tails’ shoulders and he let out a yelp, Sonic and Amy jumping back with wide eyes.</p>
<p>“There’s my favourite fox! How are you, hon?” </p>
<p>Tails whipped around, a wide grin on his face when he saw Fern standing behind him. He wrapped his arms around her in a second, his tails swishing about excitedly. Fern returned the gesture easily, squeezing him tightly.</p>
<p>Tails stepped back after a moment, clasping his hands behind his back. “I’m great, we were just visiting. Getting more rings and all that, you know?” </p>
<p>Fern nodded understandingly. “Of course. You sure you didn’t just come to visit me? It wouldn’t be the first time.” Her eyes lit up with mirth, bright and teasing.</p>
<p>Tails snorted, his cheeks turning a faint pink as he looked away from her gaze. “Well...maybe.” </p>
<p>Amy tilted her head in confusion, sharing a look with Sonic before she stepped up, attracting Fern’s attention. “Actually, we were…”</p>
<p>She trailed off when she caught Tails’ eyes, the fox shaking his head quickly. </p>
<p>“We <em>were coming to visit</em>,” she finished, a smile on her face even if confusion lingered in her eyes. "Tails just won't say it." She smirked when Tails shot her a glare.</p>
<p>Fern grinned. “Well, I’m glad. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you here, missy. Where’s your other friend, the red one?” </p>
<p>Amy’s lips thinned and she looked away quickly.</p>
<p>“He’s sick at home!” Sonic cut in when Fern frowned. </p>
<p>Her eyes widened. “Is he okay?” </p>
<p>Sonic nodded. “He’s fine, just a cold. He’ll come visit next time, though.” </p>
<p>Fern hummed, her ears flicking slightly to the left. She shot a glance over to the piles, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “I’m keeping you to that. Now if you’d excuse me, I’d better return to work. You lot take care of yourselves, okay?”</p>
<p>They nodded simultaneously, waiting until she walked off with a wave before turning to each other.</p>
<p>“What was that?” Amy asked, putting her hands on her hips.</p>
<p>Tails smiled wryly. “It’s not that I don’t trust Fern, but I’m pretty sure she’d try and stop us from tracking down Silas. She’s…a little overprotective.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Amy said, pursing her lips at the thought. </p>
<p>Sonic found himself grateful for Tails’ quick thinking: he despised the thought of others trying to stop them from their goal.</p>
<p>“Come on, grab a few rings and we’ll head home. I have a feeling we’re going to need them for this.” </p>
<p>They followed Tails’ lead, scooping up rings and placing them into his pouch, particularly the silver ones. </p>
<p>“Don’t worry about bronze ones,” Tails said, waving him off when Sonic offered to gather some. “I’ve got a few, and that’s all we need, really. If we’re desperate, someone will lend us one.” </p>
<p>Sonic nodded, shoving a pile of bronze ones aside in search of more silver ones. “So, where’s this Oasis?” </p>
<p>Tails hummed in thought as they stood back up, tightening the drawstrings on his bag and placing it into his satchel. “It’s on another world, naturally. We’ll use a silver ring, since I want to save our gold ones for emergencies. It’ll be a couple hours walk through the desert, but so long as we leave early it won’t get too hot.” </p>
<p>That sounded easy enough. The middle of the day would provide scorching heat, so they would wake up extra early to account for that. He’d need to update Knuckles when they got home.</p>
<p>“Alright. We can start packing tonight.” </p>
<p>Tails hummed his assent, Amy throwing him a thumbs-up. </p>
<p>“All set on rings. Let’s go.” </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“The Oasis?” Knuckles asked, pausing with his spoon halfway to his mouth. He lowered the spoon. “And you said their name is Silas?”</p>
<p>Sonic nodded, gesturing for Knuckles to finish eating. Knuckles shot him a petulant scowl, plopping the spoon in his mouth and raising his eyebrows in exaggeration. Sonic found he couldn’t complain, only happy that his friend was eating.</p>
<p>“I hate that name,” Knuckles murmured once the bowl was empty.</p>
<p>Sonic snorted. “I agree with you there. We’ll make sure they know we hate it, don’t worry.” </p>
<p>Knuckles smiled, although it seemed slightly strained. “So, we’re all going tomorrow morning?” </p>
<p>“Yep,” Sonic said, watching Knuckles warily. “We’ll be waking up bright and early. Make sure you pack plenty of water.”</p>
<p>Knuckles huffed a laugh. “Of course. What kind of fool do you take me for?” </p>
<p>Sonic rolled his eyes. “Just making sure. And don’t forget to get plenty of sleep tonight, okay?” he said, eyeing of the darkness lining Knuckles’ eyes. </p>
<p>Knuckles rubbed the back of his neck, looking away quickly. “I’ll…do my best. I’ll get up earlier to prepare some food for the trip.” </p>
<p>Sonic nodded. “That sounds like a great idea. I’m sure the others would appreciate it.” </p>
<p>Knuckles’ eyes brightened. “Do you really think so?” </p>
<p>“I know they will. Now come on, go get some rest.” </p>
<p>Knuckles sighed heavily, standing up with an exaggerated groan. “Fine. I forgot how much of a <em>mum friend</em> you are.” </p>
<p>Sonic sputtered, his face heating up. “What—I am not!”</p>
<p>Knuckles raised an eyebrow at the empty bowl of soup in front of him, gesturing to the two new water bottles Sonic had brought him alongside it. </p>
<p>Sonic scoffed, scooping up the bowl and standing up, heading to the door. “Unappreciative,” he mumbled.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Knuckles’ soft voice had him pausing, one hand over the door frame. He turned back curiously. </p>
<p>“Thanks,” Knuckles said, a shy smile on his face. </p>
<p>Sonic only grinned. “Sleep well,” he said, shutting the door behind him softly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We finally have a name for Sonic's assailant! The real journey is about to begin, so strap yourselves in!<br/>Thanks for reading and don't forget to stay safe &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Things will start to get more interesting from here :)<br/>Let me know what you thought! The next chapter will be up soon, promise.<br/>For now, stay safe &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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